School of Social Work secures grant for suicide prevention in Native American youth

Western Michigan University has partnered with the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indian (Gun Lake Tribe) on a new grant, We Walk Together, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Dr. Dee Sherwood, faculty in the School of Social Work, is the primary investigator for grant program, which is focused on youth and young adult suicide prevention and early intervention in Native American communities in a five county region around the tribal offices in Shelbyville, Michigan. We Walk Together is a $439,744 grant, funded over three years.

Dr. Sherwood will be working with Ms. Leslie Pigeon, the behavioral health coordinator for the Gun Lake Tribal Health and Human Services department on community outreach and planning, youth and young adult participant mental health screening and interventions (10 to 24 years of age), and staff training and development.

We Walk Together is an important step toward addressing mental health disparities among Native American youth and young adults and building a foundation for future partnerships and collaboration with tribal nations and communities in the region.

Gun Lake Tribe at the Allegan County Suicide Prevention Walk in September